50 Years Ago - Dec. 1967 : Martha Reeves In Top 40 For Last Time With "HONEY CHILE"

[Boogiedown]

It was the group's last time in the Billboard Hot 100's Top 40 while also their first time there as Martha REEVES and The Vandellas:



The record to me sounds ahead of its time , it has that early seventies vibe. It would sound appropriate on a Hot Wax compilation imo with STICK UP, WANTS ADS etc. .... although I don't think there's really any compositional overlap with the writing , musicianship etc....??

[blackguy69]

It sounds like the current late 67-68 Motown sound . Love the song.

[daviddesper]

Don't know who or what was behind it, but the girls went through a brief country phase with this one, along with I Tried and Sweet Darling. It was a nice change of pace.

[Boogiedown]

It sounds like the current late 67-68 Motown sound . Love the song.

Oh does it ? Can you name a couple, Id like to give them a listen!

[Boogiedown]

Don't know who or what was behind it, but the girls went through a brief country phase with this one, along with I Tried and Sweet Darling. It was a nice change of pace.

I see.
and Wiki says of HONEY CHILE :

Filled with Southern connotations [[inspired by Reeves' birth in rural Alabama)

which again makes me think of some of the southern music coming out in the early seventies like MR BIG STUFF and CLEAN UP WOMAN.

[Boogiedown]

daviddesper
Don't know who or what was behind it, but the girls went through a brief country phase with this one, along with I Tried and Sweet Darling. It was a nice change of pace.

Wow
has Honey Cone ever been compared to Martha The Vandellas?


added:
so there's much to be learned at wiki:

about Honey Cone:

Although the group was based in Los Angeles, their recordings were recorded in Detroit. Martha & the Vandellas and The Marvelettes — two of the female vocal groups who represented Motown Records' sound in the 1960s — were among Honey Cone's main influences, as the group favored a blend of sweetness and grit in their own sound. wiki

[Boogiedown]

"sweetness and grit"

[Roberta75]

It was the group's last time in the Billboard Top 40 while also their first time there as Martha REEVES and The Vandellas:



The record to me sounds ahead of its time , it has that early seventies vibe. It would sound appropriate on a Hot Wax compilation imo with STICK UP, WANTS ADS etc. .... although I don't think there's really any compositional overlap with the writing , musicianship etc....??

Thats not true. The First Lady of Motown Dr Martha Reeves was in the charts in 1987 with Nowhere to Run on the Good Morning Vietnam soundtrack that went plattinum.

[blackguy69]

Honey Chile has that same feel as You Keep Running Away or I Was Made To Love You musically but with a country feel.

[Boogiedown]

Honey Chile has that same feel as You Keep Running Away or I Was Made To Love You musically but with a country feel.

yes ! good call!

[[and that one IS HDH , kind of odd eh?)

[Boogiedown]

Thats not true. The First Lady of Motown Dr Martha Reeves was in the charts in 1987 with Nowhere to Run on the Good Morning Vietnam soundtrack that went plattinum.

OK I went back and clarified:

boogiedown:

It was the group's last time in the Billboard Hot 100's Top 40

[lakedistrictlad1]

There is a track on Chris Clark's Anthology cd set called 'He's Good For Me'. I don't have the booklet to hand but I'm sure it mentions that Martha Reeves &The Vandellas also recorded a version which is still unreleased.
Its another great example of the country sound of Honey Chile.

[westgrandboulevard]

lakedistrictlad1....


It sounds like the basic rhythm band track [[bass guitar, drum...) for 'I Tried' was also used [[or maybe re-recorded?) for Chris Clark's 'He's Good For Me' [[one of my favourite CC recordings, featuring what sounds like The Andantes, as well as an additional, solo session singer whose voice sounds familiar, but I just can't place!).

The notes for the Chris Clark Anthology state that the band track was originally cut for The Vandellas on January 18th 1968, but Chris Clark's version, with the 'He's Good For Me' lyrics, was actually completed first, on February 15th.

Martha's 'I Tried' was completed a little later, on March 7th. And maybe there is indeed a version somewhere in the vaults, with Martha singing the 'He's Good for me' lyrics. Who knows....

[RanRan79]

Don't know who or what was behind it, but the girls went through a brief country phase with this one, along with I Tried and Sweet Darling. It was a nice change of pace.

I agree. "I Tried" is so underrated. It's one of my favorites.